District all but severs ties to back-to-school conference

The San Diego school district has all but severed its ties to a high-profile community education conference that for 11 years has offered workshops, health screenings and supplies to parents and children – the only event of its kind in the city.

The district will plan its own back-to-school conferences. Trustees on Tuesday approved a $60,000 budget for a 2009 event.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Unified School District will send the New ERAA Conference (Everybody Recommitting to Academic Achievement) a bill for $13,500 to cover unauthorized use of district money and resources at the Aug. 23 event.

“The district has been supporting us for the past 11 years and this is the first time this has come up,” said Zoneice Jones of the nonprofit Pazzaz, which co-sponsors the event. “What their motivation is I do not know.”

The program was held at Lincoln High School and drew thousands of parents and students.

The district provided security and meals and used a credit card to front the money for some supplies. Teachers volunteered to lead workshops.

But the district never officially approved the expenses, nor did it endorse the event, said Superintendent Terry Grier.

It was district trustee Shelia Jackson, a champion of the conference, who urged administrators to use a procurement card to buy $900 worth of backpack supplies. Event organizers reimbursed the district for that cost.

The district recently adopted new policies that ban trustees from making any requests for work or funding from administrators.

“This is about perception, perception from the public that anyone can borrow our credit card,” said trustee Mitz Lee, who, like Jackson, is up for re-election in November.

A proposal from Grier to waive the $13,500 in expenses failed to get support from trustees, with Lee and board President Katherine Nakamura rejecting it, and Jackson and John de Beck supporting it. Luis Acle was absent from Tuesday's meeting.

Jackson offered to pay the bill. But Jones said she would not accept it.

Grier said the district is not trying to compete with the conference by establishing its own version, one that would rely on support from community groups. He said the organizers should take it as a compliment: “That's what happens when you're successful.”